City Monument – Overlooked Ruin, Lodhi Gardens
Unknown gateway. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This gorgeous ruin bathed in beauty lies totally ignored in Lodhi Gardens as an unsung monument. The centuries-old Mughal-era building is believed to be the remains of a gateway that once…
City Hangout – Bougainvillea’s Shaving Stall, Chelmsford Road
Barber’s paradise. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Pavement shaving stalls are just about everywhere in Delhi—unlike western cities where the tradition has died out. These are patronised, among others, by a vast populace of hardworking male migrants who…
Mission Delhi – Son Pal, Around Town
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] With that glowing white beard and sparkling eyes he could easily be mistaken for some latter-day Tagore or Tolstoy. “You mean I look like a…
City Hangout – Ramlila Maidan, Central Delhi
The empty quarter. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The 2019 general elections are over. The iconic Ramlila Maidan, famous for its rallies, is free to be explored. The last big gathering it hosted was a campaign speech by…
City Landmark – Subhan Factory Dry Cleaners, Old Delhi
Connecting present to past. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Although Old Delhi’s history stretches far back into 16th century, its oldest surviving laundry service is curiously recent. Founded in 1922, the Subhan Factory is surprisingly spacious in the…
City Nature – Alternative Roses, Gurgaon
Beauty without bloom. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] This is not the best season for roses. Not even at the rose garden in Gurgaon’s Sector 15A in the National Capital Region. And that’s why you ought to drop…
Mission Delhi – Rena, Public Park, Gurgaon
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Like most women with a day-job and family, Rena’s life is more than merely hectic. She’s a gardener and her work shift in a public…
City Hangout – W-Block Park, Greater Kailash-I
City escape. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The appeal of this place rests on a paradox. Parts of W-Block Park are a dusty terrain, so very bleak that it somehow conveys a kind of surreal beauty. Or so…
Mission Delhi – Bhag Bahri Malhotra, Khan Market
One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Most booklovers know all about the legendary Bahrisons Booksellers in Khan Market. And old-timers would remember late founder, Balraj Bahri Malhotra, who started it in…
City Faith – Radha Krishna Mandir, Sadar Bazaar, Gurgaon
Homely temple. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The very air is steeped in absolute mindfulness. The place feels so private that you fear you have gate-crashed into somebody’s residence. Such is the charm of Radha Krishna Mandir. A…
Recent Comments